Five Little Monkeys

Originating Idea Every day during work time James is pulling out the book Five Little Monkeys, he will look at the book by himself or ask a teacher to read it to him. When James has the story read to him he likes to re-enact the part of the monkeys jumping on the bed. The idea behind the activity that is planned is so that it can be done in large group or small group. Materials No materials needed Curriculum Content The Arts Dramatic Art: pretending and role playing Music: exploring the singing voice Language, Literacy, and Communication Having fun with language: listening to stories and poems, making up stories and rhymes Physical Development, Health, and Well-Being Moving in locomotor ways Acting upon movement directions Expressing creativity in movement Approaches to Learning Making and expressing choices, plans, and decisions Beginning Gather the children in the large group area and ask them to help act out a story about a mother monkey (pointing to self) and her little monkeys (pointing to the children). Ask the children how many monkeys are in this story and then count the number of ch ildren there are with the childrens help. Then begin to tell a story about putting the little monkeys to be: Teacher: Once upon a time there was a mother monkey who had # little monkeys to put to bed. What do you do to get ready for bed? The children may shout out what they do to get ready for bed. Have the children pretend to do what they would do to get ready for bed until they are all done getting ready, then say: Teacher: Now the mother monkey tucks her little monkeys in their big bed under their cozy covers. Have the children pretend to being sleeping on the floor. Then say: Teacher: Then the mother blows her little monkeys a kiss, turns out the light, and goes downstairs. Middle Continue the story by telling them that the little monkeys were not tired at all. Ask them what they think happened next. The children who know the chant will more than likely say they jumped on the bed. Have the children pretend that they are jumping on the bed as we say the chant. Between verses of the chant ask a child for another way the monkeys can move in the bed and have the child demonstrate. Repeat the ch ant with the childs suggestion. Also can use the childrens names for the monkeys that falls off the bed. End Say the chant one last time, but change the last line so it directs the children to planning time. For example the doctor mig ht say All the monkeys jump to the planning table. From there you can have the children individually jump to the area were they plan to work during work time. Follow-up Ideas Do other jumping activities at large or small group time. Add a safety-approved trampoline to the classroom.

*lesson from 50 Large-Group Activities for Active Learners by Christine Boisvert and Suzanne Gainsley